The Parents' Review

A Monthly Magazine of Home-Training and Culture

"Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life."
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Lord Collingwood's Theory and Practice of Education

by T. G. RooperVolume 12, no. 5, May 1901, pgs. 321-331

The British Empire has its base upon the water and it is due to the
dauntless trio, Jervis, Nelson and Collingwood, that India, Australia
and Canada are under the English instead of the French flag. Jervis
made the British Fleet, which had dissolved into groups of mutinous
ships owing to shameful mismanagement. Jervis had the iron strength of
will and intellect which reorganised a corrupt system and provided
Nelson with an armament which his genius rendered invincible. "Jervis,"
said Dr. Busby, "made Nelson, he made him a greater seaman than himself
and then did not envy him." This is a fine remark, and indeed it is
hardly possible even to speak of any of these three men without our
language and thoughts rising to an elevation above the common and
ordinary level of social intercourse. Collingwood was distinguished by
his superior education, his love of study, his contempt for display, and
the depth of his religious feeling. While to Nelson fell the lot of the
most glorious death that man can die--the death of the hero on the field
of victory, Collingwood's fate was to drag out a weary, overworked and
overstrained existence, longing to rest and home and wife and children,
but determined to cling to active life so long as his country required
his services. "What," he writes to his brother-in-law, Mr. J. E.
Blackett, in 1793, May Day, "should I suffer in this convulsion of
nations, this general call of Englishmen to the standard of their
country, should I be without occupation? a miserable creature! While it
is England let me keep my place in the front of the battle." And this
determination Collingwood carried out. Of fifty years' service in the
navy, forty-four were passed in active employment abroad. On one
occasion he kept the sea for the almost incredible space of twenty-two
months without dropping anchor. This was at a time when a three months'
absence from port was held to be a severe and unusual strain on the
health and perseverance of the crew. It was his character and superior
education, and study of education and its kindred study of occupation
in daily life, which made possible to Collingwood such an unparalleled
achievement.

Two years before his death he sends his picture to Lady Collingwood,
painted by an artist who was reckoned the most eminent in Sicily. "I am
sorry," he says, "to learn my picture was not an agreeable surprise.
You expected to find me a smooth-skinned, clear-complexioned gentleman
such as when I left home, dressed in the newest taste, and like the
fine people who live gay lives ashore. Alas! it is far otherwise with
us. The painter was thought to have flattered me much; that lump under
my chin was but the loose skin from which the flesh has shrunk away: my
face is red, yet not with the effect of wine, but of burning suns and
boisterous winds; and my eyes, which were once dark and bright, are now
faded and dim. The painter represented me as I am; not as I once was.
It is time and toil that have worked the change and not his brush."

For it was not merely his ceaseless military occupation that wore him
out. His correspondence was immense, and so highly esteemed was his
judgment that he was consulted from all quarters and on all occasions
and on a great variety of questions. His counsel was in demand, not
only respecting military and naval affairs, but also in matters of
general policy and even of trade. His death was due to the effect of
long-continued confinement on board ship and constant bending over his
desk. I think, before I conclude, you will agree with me that his views
upon the subject of education are worth pondering over by the
thoughtful, even after the interval of a century.

He was by nature and education a man of cultivated and refined taste,
and of great simplicity of character. He united great intellectual
power with great amiability, and these two gifts are rarely united in a
man. His occupations at home were reading, especially works on history,
from which it was habit to compose well-written abridgments. His
recreations were drawing and cultivating his garden at Morpeth, on the
banks of the limpid stream of Wansbeck. A brother Admiral, who had
sought him through the garden in vain, at last discovered him with his
gardener, old Scott, often mentioned in his correspondence, to whom he
was much attached, in the bottom of a deep trench which they were
busily occupied in digging. His affection for his wife and children is
expressed in his letters to Lady Collingwood in a most pathetic way,
and though long withheld by a sense of public duty from returning home,
he endeavoured in the midst of his perpetual contest with the elements,
with the enemy, and with his own seamen, whose dispositions were as
boisterous and untractable as the Atlantic storm, to guide the
education of his two little girls by correspondence. In various letters
he deals with the training of both boys and girls, and the opinion of
so remarkable a man and so successful an administrator and
disciplinarian is of the highest interest and value. He never preached
what he did not practise, and if it be asked what was the cause of his
success in keeping his crew at sea for such a length of time without
sickness, the answer can be readily given. No society in the world of
equal extent was so healthy as his flagship. She had usually 800 men,
and though on one occasion remained at sea more than a year and half
without going into port, during the whole of that time she never had
more than six and generally only four on the sick list. Now for the
explanation of this phenomenal achievement. "My wits," he writes, "are
ever at work to keep my people employed, both for health's sake and to
save them from mischief. We have lately been making musical
instruments, and have now a very good band. Every moonlight night the
sailors dance, and there seems as much mirth and festivity as if we
were in Wapping itself."

Lord Collingwood was a saint, but he was human, and not a Puritan.
Occupation of the right kind was the key-note of his educational
system, and it seems the safest and most practical for all engaged in
education. For himself, he writes, "when wild war's deadly blast is
blown and gentle peace returns," and he can honourably retire from the
sea--a fond hope destined never to be fulfilled--"I must endeavour to
find some employment, which, having at least the show of business, may
keep my mind engaged and prevent that languor to which from
constitution I am more subject than other people, but which never
intrudes upon my full occupation." "It has always been my maxim," he
writes, " to engage and occupy my men, and to take such care for them
that they should have nothing to think of for themselves beyond the
current business of the day."

So, too, he writes to his wife, "I beseech you to keep my dearest girls
constantly employed, and make them read to you, not trifles, but
history, in the manner we used to do in the winter evenings--blessed
evenings, indeed! The human mind will improve itself in action, but
grows dull and torpid when left to slumber. I believe even stupidity
itself may be cultivated."

Another cause of Lord Collingwood's success in maintaining the health
of his crew was his attention to detail and knowledge of sanitary
matters beyond his time. He took great care to ventilate his ship and
the hammocks of the men, by creating as much circulation of air below
as possible and keeping their quarters dry, rarely permitting scrubbing
between decks. Thus, in addition to attention to diet and amusement, he
kept his crew in spirits, and as they were assured of justice, kindness
and comfort, it is no wonder they knew him under the name of the
"Sailors' Friend," and that many a gallows' bird with which our ships
were then manned spoke of him as "father to the men."

Lord St. Vincent in putting down the spirit of mutiny in the
Mediterranean fleet would draft the most ungovernable characters into
Collingwood's ship. "Send them to Collingwood and he will bring them to
order." Yet while other captains resorted to capital punishment,
Collingwood seldom even inflicted corporal punishment. On one occasion
a seaman was sent from the "Romulus," a man who had pointed one of the
forecastle guns, shotted to the muzzle, at the quarter-deck, and
standing by it with a match threatened to fire on the officers unless
he received a promise that no punishment should be inflicted upon him.
On the man's arrival on board the "Excellent," Collingwood, in the
presence of many of the sailors, said to him with great sternness of
manner, "I know your character well, but beware how you attempt to
excite insubordination in this ship; for I have such confidence in my
men that I am certain I shall hear in an hour of everything you are
doing. If you behave well in future I will treat you like the rest, nor
notice here what has happened on another ship; but if you endeavour to
excite mutiny, mark me well, I will instantly head you up in a cask and
throw you into the sea!" Under the treatment which he met in the
"Excellent" this man became a good and obedient sailor, and never
afterwards gave any cause of complaint.

As his experience in command and his knowledge of the dispositions of
men increased, his abhorrence of corporal punishment grew daily
stronger, and in the latter part of his life, more than a year often
passed away without his having resorted to it. He used to tell his
ship's company that he was determined the youngest midshipman should be
obeyed as implicitly as himself and that he would punish with severity
any instance to the contrary. When a midshipman made a complaint he
would order the man for punishment the next day, and in the interval,
calling the boy down to him, would say, "In all probability the fault
was yours, but whether it were or not, I am sure it would go to your
heart to see a man old enough to be your father disgraced and punished
on your account, and it will therefore give me a good opinion of your
disposition if, when he is brought out, you ask for his pardon." The
punishments which he substituted for the lash were various, such as
watering the grog, or excluding the culprit from mess and employing him
on every sort of extra duty. He never used discourteous or violent
language. One of the secrets of his success in keeping order was the
quickness and correctness of his eye; through which he was enabled in
an instant to detect anything that was out of order. His reproofs on
these occasions, though always short, were conveyed in the language of
a gentleman and were deeply felt, so that he was considered by all to
be a strict disciplinarian. He was extremely careful to avoid giving
vexations and harassing orders. When captain of the "Excellent," his
ship was signalled to approach the Admiral's ship. Captain Collingwood
went on board and found the order was merely for the "Excellent" to
receive two bags of onions. "Bless me!" he exclaimed, "Is this the
service, my Lord St. Vincent, is this the service, Sir Robert Calder?
Has the 'Excellent's' signal been made five or six times for two bags
of onions? Man my boat, sir, and let us go on board again." Nor would
he, though repeatedly pressed by Lord St. Vincent to stay dinner,
accept the invitation, but refused and retired.

He complained to the Admiralty that some of the younger Captains were
in the habit of concealing by great severity their own unskilfulness
and want of attention, beating the men into a state of insubordination,
and that such vessels, though increasing the number, diminished the
efficiency of the fleet. He complained that insubordination was due to
the folly or the cruelty of those in command as much as to the
perverseness of the men.

I have endeavoured to give some idea of Collingwood's theory and
practice of discipline, because the subject is the foundation of all
sound education, and ignorance of it is the cause of half the failures.
I pass on to his general views. "The education," he writes to his
daughter, "of a lady, and indeed of a gentleman, too, may be divided
into three parts. The first is the cultivation of the mind, that they
may have a knowledge of right and wrong, and acquire the habit of doing
acts of virtue and honour. By reading History you will perceive the
high estimation in which the memories of good people are held, and the
contempt and disgust which are affixed to the base, whatever their rank
in life. The second part of education is to acquire a competent
knowledge how to manage your affairs, whatever they may happen to be;
to know how to direct the economy of your house, and to keep exact
accounts of everything which concerns you. Whoever cannot do this must
be dependent on somebody else, and those who are dependent on another
cannot be perfectly at their ease. Skill should be attained in
Arithmetic, which, independently of its great use to everybody in every
condition of life, is one of the most curious and entertaining sciences
that can be conceived. The third part is to practise those manners and
that address which will recommend you to strangers. Boldness and
forwardness are disgusting, but shyness and shrinking from conversation
are also repulsive and unbecoming. There are many hours in every
person's life which are not spent in anything important, but it is
necessary that they should not be spent idly. Music and dancing are
intended to fill up hours of leisure. Nothing wearies me more than to
see a young lady at home sitting with her arms across or twirling her
thumbs for want of something to do, Poor thing! I always pity her; for
I am sure her head is empty, and that she has not the sense even to
devise the means of pleasing herself."

It is perhaps hard to find in the English language a more admirable
description of a cultivated person than in the following letter:--

"Let me, my dearest child, impress upon you the importance of temperate
conduct and sweetness of manner to all people, on all occasions. It
does not follow you are to agree with every ill-judging person, but
after showing them your reason for dissenting from their opinion, your
argument and opposition to it should not be tinctured with anything
offensive. Never forget for one moment that you are a gentlewoman, and
all your words and all your actions should mark you gentle. Next for
accomplishments. No sportsman ever hits a partridge without aiming at
it, and skill is acquired by repeated attempts. It is the same thing in
every art; unless you aim at perfection you will never attain it.
Never, therefore, do anything with indifference. Whether it be to mend
a rent in your garment, or finish the most delicate piece of art,
endeavour to do it as perfectly as possible. When you write a letter,
give it your greatest care that it may be as perfect in all its parts as
you can make it. Let the subject be sense, expressed in the most plain,
intelligible and elegant manner that you are capable of. If in a
familiar epistle you should be playful and jocular, guard carefully
that your wit be not sharp so as to give pain to any person, and before
you write a sentence, examine it, even the words of which it is
composed, that there be nothing vulgar or inelegant in them. Remember
that your letter is the picture of your brains, and those whose brains
are a compound of folly, nonsense and impertinence are to blame to
exhibit them to the contempt of the world and the pity of their
friends."

Looking to the subjects of instruction, Lord Collingwood writes, "I
hope my girls will write a French letter every day to me or their
mother. I should like them to be taught Spanish, which is the most
elegant language in Europe and very easy. I would have them taught
geometry; it expands the mind more to the knowledge of all things in
Nature, and better teaches to distinguish between truths and such
things as have the appearance of being truths, yet are not, than any
other. To inspire them with a love of everything that is honourable and
virtuous, though in rags, and with contempt for vanity in embroidery,
is the way to make them the darlings of my heart.

"As to reading, it requires a careful selection of books, nor should
they ever have access to two at the same time, but when a subject is
begun it should be finished before anything else is undertaken. How
would it enlarge their mind if they could acquire a sufficient
knowledge of mathematics and astronomy to give them an idea of the
beauty and wonders of creation. I am persuaded that the generality of
people, and particularly fine ladies, only adore God because they are
told that it is proper and the fashion to go to church; but I would
have my girls gain such knowledge of the works of creation that they
may have a fixed idea of the nature of that Being who could be the
Author of such a world. Whenever they have that, nothing on this side
the moon will give them much uneasiness of mind. I do not mean that
they should be Stoics or want common feelings for the sufferings that
flesh is heir to, but they would then have a source of consolation for
the worst that could happen."

He laid great stress on the value of keeping a diary, and when his
daughters set out for London in order to be presented at Court after
their father's promotion to the peerage, he writes to his wife:--"I
wish that in these journeys the education of our children may not stop;
but that on the road they may study the geography of that part of
England through which they travel, and keep a regular journal, not of
what they eat and drink, but of the nature of the country, its
appearance, its produce, and some gay description of the manners of the
inhabitants. I hope you will take your time in town, and show my girls
everything curious. I am sure that you will visit the tomb of my dear
friend. Alas! the day that he had a tomb.

"Do not let our girls be made fine ladies; but give them a knowledge of
the world which they have to live in, that they may take care of
themselves when you and I are in heaven. They must do everything for
themselves, and never read novels, but history, essays, travels and
Shakspeare. What they call books for young persons are nonsense. They
should frequently read aloud, and endeavour to preserve the natural
tone of voice, as if they were speaking on the subject without a book.
Nothing can be more absurd than altering the voice to a disagreeable
and monotonous drawl because what they say is taken from a book. The
memory should be strengthened by getting by heart such speech and noble
sentiments from Shakspeare or Roman history as deserve to be imprinted
on the mind."

Lord Collingwood's objection to novels is thus expressed: "Above all
things, keep novels out of their reach. They are the corrupters of
tender minds, they exercise the imagination instead of the judgment,
make them all desire to become the Julias and Cecilias of romance, and
turn their heads before they are enabled to distinguish truth from
fictions merely devised for entertainment. When they have passed their
climacteric it will be time enough to begin novels." In another place
he urges his daughters to study geography and whenever there are any
particular events happening, to examine the map and see where they took
place. "You are," he tells them, "at a period of life when the
foundation of knowledge has to be laid and of those manners and modes
of thinking which distinguish gentlewomen from Miss Nothings. A good
woman has great and important duties to do in the world and will always
be in danger of doing them ill unless she have acquired knowledge.
Never do anything that can denote an angry mind; for although everybody
is born with a certain degree of passion and will sometimes, from
untoward circumstances, feel its operation and be what is called 'out of
humour,' yet a sensible man or woman will not allow it to be discovered.
Check it and restrain it and never make any determination until you
find it has entirely subsided; and never say anything that you may
afterwards wish unsaid."

Again he writes to his girls, "It is exactly your age that much pains
should be taken; for whatever knowledge you acquire now will last you
all your lives. The impression which is made on young minds is so
strong that it never wears out; whereas everybody knows how difficult
it is to make an old snuff-taking lady comprehend anything beyond pam
or spadille. Such persons hang very heavy on society. Remember, gentle
manners are the first grace which a lady can possess. Whether she
differ in her opinion from others or be of the same sentiment, her
expression should be equally mild. A positive contradiction is vulgar
and ill-bred."

I have dealt with Lord Collingwood's views of the education of girls
and I do not think the newest of new High Schools have much to add to
his principles. It remains to give his ideas about the education of
boys.

He writes to Mrs. Hall, "You have now three boys and I hope they will
live to make you very happy when you are an old woman. But let me tell
you the chance is very much against you unless you are for-ever on your
guard. The temper and disposition of most people are formed before they
are seven years old, and the common cause of badness is the too great
indulgence and mistaken fondness which the affection of a parent finds
it difficult to veil, though the happiness of the child depends upon
it. Your measures must be systematic; whenever they do wrong, never omit
to reprove them firmly but with gentleness. Always speak to them in a
style and language rather superior to their years. Proper words are
as easily learned as improper ones. When they do well and deserve
commendation, bestow it lavishly. Let the feelings of your heart flow
from your eyes and tongue; and they will never forget the effect which
their good behaviour had upon their mother, and this at an earlier time
of life than is generally thought."

He objects to too early specialisation for the career of an officer.
Instead of going too early to sea he suggest the following plan:--"I
would recommend them to send their young son to a good mathematical
school and teach him to be perfect in French and Spanish or Italian;
and if he spend two years in hard study he will be better qualified at
the end than if he came at once to sea. If parents were to see how many
of their chickens go to ruin by being sent too early abroad they would
not be so anxious about it."

What Lord Collingwood desiderated most of all was that his lieutenants
should have learnt to work hard and to be observant. He thus pours
contempt on the youth who cannot work. "I am told the boy's want of
spirits is owing to the loss of his time when he was in England, which
is a subject that need give his mother no concern, for if he takes no
more pains in his profession than he has done, he will not be qualified
for a lieutenant in sixteen years and I should be sorry to put the
safety of a ship and the lives of the men into such hands. He is no
more use here as an officer than Bounce (Lord Collingwood's old dog),
and not near so entertaining. She writes as if she expected that he is
to be a lieutenant as soon as he has served six years, but that is a
mistaken fancy, and the loss of his time is while he is at sea. He is
living on the Navy and not serving in it. If he goes he may stay, for I
have no notion of people making the service a mere convenience for
themselves as if it were a public establishment for loungers."

Of another youth he says, "Young --- has returned to me, but I have
little hope of his being a sailor. He does not take notice of anything
nor any active part in his business; and yet I suppose when he has
dawdled in a ship for six years he will think himself very ill-used if
he is not made a lieutenant. Offices in the Navy are now made the
provision for all sorts of idle people."

Lord Collingwood recommends the following course for young midshipmen.
"If his father intended him for the sea he should have been put to a
mathematical school when twelve years old. Boys make little progress in
a ship without being well practised in navigation, and fifteen is too
old to begin, for very few take well to the sea at that age. If,
however, Mr. --- is determined, he should lose no further time but have
his son taught trigonometry perfectly before he begin navigation. If
the boy has any taste for drawing it will be a great advantage to him
and should be encouraged."

Again he writes of another youth, "I would recommend his father taking
him home and putting him to a good mathematical school, perfecting him
under his own eye in navigation, astronomy, mechanics and
fortifications. He knows enough now of ships to make the application of
what he learns easy to him, and when his head is well stocked he will
be able to find employment and amusement without having recourse to
company which is as often bad as good. He has spirit enough to make a
good officer and an honourable man, but he must make his studies a
business to which he must be entirely devoted. Drawing is the best kind
of recreation. If he be sent immediately to sea he may become a good
sailor, but not qualified to fill the higher offices of his profession,
or to make his way in them."

Lord Collingwood's views upon education merit the attention of all who
are interested in the subject, but they seem to possess a special value
at the present time when the newspapers are full of letters discussing
the training of naval officers.